


Surmised Happy Ending

by WretchedThorium



Series: The Girl with the... [3]
Category: Women's Soccer RPF
Genre: F/F, Fluff, O'Solo - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-17
Updated: 2018-01-07
Packaged: 2018-08-31 12:31:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 13,975
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8578642
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WretchedThorium/pseuds/WretchedThorium
Summary: Glances into HS and Kelley's beautiful life together.





	1. You're Policing Me Like a Dictator

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: When Kelley is sick and Hope goes all mama bear on her. 
> 
> Aka my attempt at fluff.

\--

 

“You’re out of bed.”

 

“And you’re policing me like a dictator.”

Hope rolled her eyes at the bundle of blankets that was tiptoeing it’s way to the backyard.

“Get back here missy.” Hope said as she put her book down.

“You’re not even supposed to be here!” Kelley whined. 

“Give them to me.” Hope said with intimidating, crossed arms.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Kelley hushed.

“Maureen. I’m. Done. Playing. Games.” Hope said with a glare so powerful that the smaller woman was about to shit her pants.

“Please, don’t.” Kelley begged as the tall woman came over and unlaced the Under Armour boots that Kelley was sporting. She begrudgingly lifted her legs so that Hope could take them off.

 

“You’re no fun.” Kelley said with a stuffed nose before she stuck her tongue out. Hope put the cleats back into the coat closet where Kelley would forget they were. 

 

“Now go to bed, before I carry you back.” Hope ordered as she pointed up the stairs.

 

“No!” Kelley screamed. She sprinted out the door with no shoes on, and 5 layers of blankets weighing her down. She celebrated when she got to the lush field of grass on the land that they had bought and sprinted over to the soccer ball and dribbled it to their small goal. She turned around to celebrate the fact that the back of the ball had hit the net. She shed the layers of blankets on her back and smiled at her wife as her white socks soaked in the moisture and the mud of the ground.

 

“Come play goalie. Let me shoot on you!” Kelley said as she wiped some snot from her nose and threw it on the ground.

 

Hope stood in the doorway and shook her head.

 

“Why because you’re afraid that I’m going to score??” Kelley teased as she rubbed her her arms to warm them up. That usually worked. Usually teasing her about her incompetence in goal, or baiting her with insults worked. But not this time. Because Hope was a smart woman and she knew exactly how to get her child-like wife to get back in the house.

 

She turned around and went back inside.

 

Kelley pouted. She juggled the ball around and shot at the goal a couple of times in defiance, but pretty soon she had to give up. Because being alone and sick with a pounding headache, in their backyard with no one to show off to was boring and sad. She picked up the blankets and trudged back inside.

 

No sign of Hope.

 

She searched the whole first floor and then when she found no wife, she dragged her feet upstairs.

 

She found her lying bed with her book.

 

“Why are you no fun?” Kelley asked as took off her socks and climbed in with her.

 

No response.

 

“Hey! I’m talking to you.” Kelley poked her in the leg and rubbed her temples to stave off the budding headache.

 

Again, no response. Hope just kept on reading her book.

 

Kelley continued to poke her in the leg. When that didn’t work, she poked her in the arms, the stomach, and then her cheeks. But Hope continued to read.

 

Kelley ducked under the book and then snuggled into her wife’s left side.

 

“Pay attention to me.” Kelley pouted.

 

“Are you going to do what I say?” Hope asked without taking her eyes off of the book.

 

“No because it's boring just laying in bed all day!” Kelley protested. “Please just pass the ball with me Hopey. I've been cooped up all week while you're off training and having fun!”

 

Hope went back to reading her book. She read five more pages, all while Kelley poked and prodded and tried to get any reaction. It wasn't successful. 

 

“Fine! I'll lay in bed!” Kelley whined. She got underneath the covers, laid her head in her pillow, and looked up at Hope with an expectant expression. She looked like a puppy that was waiting for her owner to pet her. 

 

“Good.” Hope said before she got up and made her way for the door. 

 

“Where ya going??” Kelley said with a sad expression. 

 

“I'm going to bring you some hot soup and hot chocolate for not being a little cunt.” Hope said with a smirk. Kelley stuck out her tongue in response. 

 

\--

 

“I hate my life!” Kelley groaned into her pillow. The thermometer read 102 and Kelley had become a motionless blob on their bed. Her body was on top of the covers, and she felt so strange because her chest was burning and her head was fuzzy and her skin was too hot to touch, but she clung onto her blanket because there were goosebumps on her burning skin and she was shaking. 

 

“What do you need babe?” Hope asked softly. She sat Kelley up so that she could tip the measuring cup into her mouth to give her the medicine that the doctor had prescribed. 

 

“A new fucking body!” Kelley whined with her eyes closed as she gulped the medicine down. 

 

“Do you want a massage?” Hope asked. 

 

Kelley's head hit the pillow again and she cocooned into her blanket and nodded. Her mouth opened slightly and her body relaxed when her wife's strong hands rubbed the tension that riddled her overworked muscles out. 

 

Twenty minutes had gone by and Kelley had passed out when Hope finally stopped. 

 

\--

 

“She said it got worse because you kept playing outside in the cold when you told me that you were in bed.” Hope scolded.

 

“Don't get mad at me. I'm sick. Feel sorry for me.” Kelley said as Hope gave her another spoonful of chicken noodle soup. 

 

The taller woman put the box of tissues next to her wife when she caught her wiping her nose on the Washington sweatshirt she gave her. When Kelley got up to grab the remote across the room, Hope turned on the TV so that her wife could watch her show on Netflix, and placed the remote next to her. She turned off all of the lights, and then held Kelley close to comfort her while she watched 

 

And that's when it clicked in Kelley's mildly feverish brain. 

 

“Hopey, my feet are cold. Can you grab my fuzzy slippers?” Kelley tested. She wiggled her feet in delight when Hope slipped them on with a smile. 

 

“Hopey, can you get me some more soup? I guess I can take my medicine then too.” Kelley smirked when Hope went downstairs to grab her some food. 

 

“Hopester, can you rub my back? I think my sickness is making it sore.”

 

“Hope, my throat hurts, can I have some ice cream?”

 

“I'm too weak, can you carry me to the shower?”

 

“Solo, can you kiss me? I miss you.” 

 

“Kell, you're sick. I can't get sick too.” Hope reasoned. Kelley stayed quiet and looked like she was about to cry. She curled and turned away from Hope. 

 

The keeper felt absolutely horrible and then planted several kisses onto Kelley's lips, nose, cheeks, and ears to soothe her bruised ego. 

 

“I want you to kiss me down there.” Kelley said seriously as she nodded to the spot in between her legs. Hope fulfilled that request too. 

 

Demand after demand, Hope graciously and patiently met Kelley's demands all weekend. The taller woman tucked her in, swept the hairs out of her face, and gave her random massages. Because at least she could tame Kelley enough to keep her indoors so that she wouldn't get hypothermia. 

 

\--

 

On Monday morning, Kelley knew that she was no longer sick. There was no fever, no headache, and the mucus levels in her nose were at an appropriate level. The soreness had left her body, and she no longer felt the need to hang onto her blanket. 

 

She did some jumping jacks, a test to see how well she was feeling. 

 

She was feeling pretty good. She looked out their window at the goal and ball waiting for her out there. 

 

Then she heard Hope coming up the stairs, no doubt coming back from her morning run. Kelley sprinted back to her bed, ducked under the covers, and then composed herself. 

 

When Hope opened the door, she found the most adorable presentation of a breakfast-in-bed tray in her hands. 

 

“Good morning.” Hope whispered. 

 

“Good morning.” Kelley said. She altered her voice a little to make it scratchy. 

 

“Are you feeling any better babe? We can try to kick around the ball today. Or if you want we can go shopping or hiking, I know you must be itching to go out.” 

When Kelley stayed quiet, Hope added, “Or if you're still sick, I can put a movie on and I can give you a foot rub. Order pizza?”

 

Kelley pulled the blanket up to her chin. 

 

“Yeah, I’m still sick.”


	2. Obliteration of her Chest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “That’s what the wedding planner is for.”
> 
>  
> 
> “I’m the wedding planner.” Kelley said with a glare

Hope lazily pressed the scanner gun into some espresso machine that Kelley had instructed her to. She heaved a bored sigh and continued to walk through the items and pressed the button on any item that her fiancé thought fit.

  
“Can we please stop doing this?” Hope whined.

  
“WIFEY.” Kelley ordered. “YOU PROMISED.”

  
Hope rolled her eyes. And sat down on some antique looking chair, while Kelley excitedly bounced through the stacks and aisles of overpriced domestic items that were supposedly going to build the happy life that she had always imagined.

  
Hope pulled out her phone to text Kelley's maid of honor.

  
Solo: I need a drink for this. [3:43pm]

  
She stared at her phone and waited for a response.

  
_Please, fucking please. Let this shit be over with. I'm done_.

  
Her fiancé came by, with a look of disapproval, and wordlessly grabbed the scanner from Hope’s hand. Her stern look seemed to say: are you fucking kidding me?

  
She made to leave, but Hope pulled Kelley down by the shirt and onto her lap. The keeper nuzzled into Kelley's neck.

  
“Please don't ever leave me.” Hope whispered.

  
“To do this boring ass wedding shit.”

  
Kelley quickly got up. She turned around and pointed the scanner gun and aimed it right at her fiancé.

  
“Hope Solo! You promised that you would be good!” Kelley whined.

  
“Babe! I know!”

  
“You promised me!”

  
“Kell, all of this shit is pointless and useless!” Hope defended.

  
“No, no. This is the Earth’s way of rewarding you and I for finally getting our shit together.”

  
“I can just buy all of this stuff.” Hope said simply. Kelley looked at her with a big look of disbelief.

  
“Then why’d you pick this place?”

  
“Because you told me to pick a place!” Hope raised her voice and threw her hands up. “Plus we’re rich as fuck!”

  
“NO, YOU’RE rich as fuck. I’m barely getting by.” Kelley defended.

  
“Okay, drama queen you’re in the six figs category.”

  
“Yeah, I’m hardly in the one percent.” Kelley shrugged. Continued to scan random items, and Hope followed.

  
“I’m not either!”

  
“Then that’s why we’re doing this.”

  
“Oh please, Kell. We don’t have to tastelessly beg others to buy us gifts. I have the greatest gift of them all.” The tall woman said with a smirk, knowing what kind of reaction that would get her. Nevertheless, Hope brought Kelley into a hug from behind. The smaller woman rolled her eyes, but the warm touch of her eventual wife's skin on hers still burned a good fire all over Kelley.

  
But that didn't change the fact that Hope was standing in between her and some free shit.

  
“Don't be facetious, Hope. My desire for this” She looked at the bundt cake holder, “is serious stuff. And you haven’t been taking any of this seriously.”

  
“That’s what the wedding planner is for.”

  
“I’m the wedding planner.” Kelley said with a glare.

  
.....

  
“Oh, really? I thought you said you were going to hire someone...”Hope said.

  
“We talked about this! I said that my mom and I were going to plan all of this together! She said that she wanted to help and be a part of our wedding. Ring any bells?”

  
Hope knew enough not to lie, and also not to respond. Because anything she were to say would have been wrong. Because she was wrong. And an idiot.

  
“My god Hope, its like you don’t care about our wedding!” Kelley was genuinely irritated at this point.

  
“Babe. I care about you. And our marriage. So yeah...the wedding is whatevs.” Hope said with a shrug. “Because it’s not important.”

  
Kelley stopped in her tracks.

 

 

  
\--

 

  
“Kell.”

  
When there was no response, Hope tugged on the back of Kelley's sweater.

  
“Squirrel.”

  
Kelley still had her eyes glued to the TV hanging above them in her New Jersey apartment.

  
“Babe.”

  
Hope took the remote out of Kelley's hand and then brought her into her side when the tall woman sat on the couch next to her.

  
Kelley quickly got up and walked into her kitchen. The keeper sighed and then felt her phone buzz in her pocket.

  
CEEP: don't irritate her. [6:48pm]

  
Too fucking late.

  
Hope found out, just how uncomfortable Kelley's living room couch felt to sleep on that night.

 

 

  
\--

 

  
The keeper knelt down on the wooden floor, with one of her elbows on the seat of the chair behind the smaller woman, and the other in Kelley's lap. Hope had her face buried into her fiancé’s side and held her close while Kelley continued to eat her breakfast.

  
“I love you.” Hope begged. She peppered kisses onto Kelley's freckles and waited for the love of her life to respond.

  
Hope took the fork out of Kelley's hand and put it in the table in order to get her attention after a few minutes of Hope begging and silent chewing on the other woman's part.

  
Kelley didn't appreciate that. She glared at her.

  
“Then talk to me.” Hope said quietly.

  
“Fine. What the fuck do you mean it’s not important?” Kelley said before she crossed her arms.

  
“Babe-”

  
“You're important to me! This! Our life! It's important to me! How can you say that our fucking wedding isn't important?!?”

  
“I- I don't know!” Hope said. “Why are we trying to have this huge freaking wedding, why can’t we just elope! Much less stress! A-a-and I've never been one for big huge events!”

  
Kelley pushed back her chair, put her dishes in the sink, and left Hope kneeling on the floor, begging some deity to just strike her down.

 

  
\--

 

 

  
“Why don't you want to get married to me in front of our friends and family?” Kelley sadly said. She was huddled into the corner of their Jersey bed, and she asked it when she felt Hope sneak onto the other side and then wrap her arms around the sad woman from behind in the middle of the night.

  
“Babe.” Hope pleaded. “I proposed to you in front of a million people.”

  
“30 thousand.” She remembered because it broke some attendance records.

  
“Whatever.” Hope laughed. _Of course Kelley remembered that fact_.

  
“I love you. And I don’t want you to stress about this event, but I don’t want you to feel like i’m embarrassed or don’t want to marry you.”

  
“That's how it feels.” Kelley pushed.

  
“Well then I'm an idiot.” Hope said softly.

  
Kelley turned around and searched within the dark for her fiancé’s gaze. When she saw the softened and begging pleas in her eyes, she then wriggled into Hope’s arms and nuzzled.

  
“I just want you to go do these things with me.”

  
“I will.”

  
“I want to feel like you want to do all of this sappy stuff.” She pushed. “ I want you to do them because it's for me.”

  
“Okay. I'll do them.”

  
“I want you to want to have this wedding.”

  
“I want us.”

  
“No. I want you to _want_ this wedding.” Kelley said.

  
“Why?” Hope gently asked.

  
“Because you were going to get married to someone else.” Kelley whispered into Hope’s chest. Right where her cheeks were, the keeper felt a pang. Or a stabbing. Or a complete obliteration of her chest.

  
“And I don't know how it would have been if you married her.” Kelley said thoughtfully. “ But I want this wedding to be better than that.”

 

  
\--

 


	3. That's What you Get

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Because we talked about this.” Christen said like she was speaking to a child. “I need to let you find your way and let you solve your problems.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> O'solo gearing up for the cold.

\--

 

 

"It's COLD!!!” Kelley screamed as she darted across the field. She weaved in and out through the tall goalkeepers and Carli, and then burrowed herself into the many layers and scarves that Hope was donning.

  
“Babe. Where's your warm ups?” Hope scolded. But every one could see the way Hope was smirking and she planted a kiss into her wife's sweaty scalp.

  
“I don't know! I threw it over there and it's mixed in with everyone else’s! Don't judge! Just provide me with warmth!” Kelley pouted and shouted as she frantically unzipped Hope’s Nike jacket to unravel a layer, and put her arms around the tall woman and burrowed there. 

“Oh my god.” Kelley moaned. “My fortress! You're warm!”

  
Hope smiled warmly and she looked up to see the whole team staring at them.

Carli quickly grabbed the huge, outer layer, snow jacket and zipped it up so that Kelley was trapped inside with Hope’s body.

  
“Not funny!” Ashlyn could hear Kelley's muffled voice over Hope’s chuckles.

  
“Oh. You're stuck with me wifey! We are one. I'm never leaving your side.” Hope said and offered her wife no help as she tried to wriggle out of the huge trap that Hope’s clothes had become.

  
“I can't breathe!” Kelley's voice came out.

  
“Did you hear that?” Ashlyn asked. “Kinda sounded like a dying squirrel.”

“I'm having hot flashes!” A muffled yell came.

  
“Good. Now that little Solo is gone, we can talk shit about her.” Carli said.

  
“Oh we’re talking shit about Kelley?” Tobin said with a huge grin as she walked up with her girlfriend. “Good I never liked that chick.”

  
“I can't believe I was going to go in goal for you guys!” Another muffled yell came out. Followed by groans and grunts as Hope tried so hard not to get severely injured by the way Kelley was wriggling around in there.

  
“Aww. Kelley.” Christen said in a sad voice.

  
“Pressy! Chris! Help me out!” Came a strangled voice. Hope just chuckled.

  
“No Kell, I can't.” Christen said as she winked at the rest of her friends and teammates.

“WHY NOT??” Kelley asked.

  
“Because we talked about this.” Christen said like she was speaking to a child. “I need to let you find your way and let you solve your own problems.”

  
“You bitch! I'm going to remember this!” Kelley yelled. And the rest of the team laughed.

  
“Okay, okay.” Hope slowly pulled the zipper halfway down her body, to reveal a red-faced Kelley with hair flying everywhere, taking huge gulps of air.

  
Carli and Ash laughed as Kelley’s nostrils flared.

  
“You're fucking adorable when you're mad.” Hope said when her teammates started walking to the bus, holding their sides in laughter. 

  
But Kelley just glared up at her.

  
“Oh. C'mon Kell. You can't be mad at me when you're in my arms.”

  
She couldn't. Kelley couldn't help it. She couldn't help the smile that was forming. Because it was true. And she had just effectively motorboated her wife for a good five minutes and no one knew. So she had that.

  
“Just let me out.” Kelley pouted. It sometimes worked on her wife. Sometimes.

  
“Nope. You wanted warmth. I'm giving you that. Giving my wifey what she wants!” Hope yelled and she started walking forward.

  
But the shorter woman was still trapped in by the knee length jacket and Hope had started walking back to the bus.

  
“Babe!” Kelley protested. Because the taller woman was essentially lugging her around like dead weight.

  
“Kell. Get in sync with me!” Hope ordered. But the smile was in the corner of her mouth. Because Kelley was so adorable when she was flustered, and she couldn't see their feet and she was struggling so hard.

  
“You want me to let you out?” Hope teased.

  
“No. But I want you to stop walking for a second.” Kelley said. And Hope obliged.

  
“What's up?”

  
“Nothing. I just want both of us to be warm.” Kelley smirked. And then she put her now-warm hand in Hope’s pants.

  
“Babe..”

  
“What?” Kelley asked with one cocked eyebrow and the left side of her mouth slightly open. She never took her eyes off of Hope’s, who was looking all around the pitch at the rest of her teammates who were getting ready to board the bus.

“Solo..” Hope warned.

  
“What, Solo?” Kelley said with a shit eating grin.

  
“You have the coolest last name, has anyone ever told you that?” Hope said with a smile. And she was hoping that she could distract her wife enough that Kelley would eventually take her hands away from the area in which she would never want her to, other than this situation.

  
“Oh the last name belonging to my wife? The one who is currently soaking wet.” Kelley whispered. “Yeah it's pretty cool."

  
“What are you two doing?” Carli asked with narrowed eyes.

  
“Nothing.” Hope quickly said.

  
“Really?” Carli asked as she took a step closer.

  
“Kell..” Hope said in a low tone. But the woman's fingers were on her clit, moving in this _insanely pleasurable_ circular motion.

  
“I don't trust you guys.” Carli said. And Hope panicked so hard when Carli tugged at the zipper of her jacket that was holding Kelley in. Because with every inch that Carli pulled it down, Kelley was starting to go quicker.

  
“Oh my fuck-” Hope whispered.

  
Kelley removed her hand. Just in time. 

  
“Now I'm cold, Carli!” Kelley turned around and yelled. And Hope just died a little. Too horny and too embarrassed to respond to Carli’s antics.

  
“Whatever, Kell.” Carli said with a little smile after she rolled her eyes.

  
Hope traced the lines on her lips and stood in place. while Kelley ordered Alex to pick up her and Hope’s stuff.

  
_Fuck me_.

  
“After you.” Hope said with a strained smile when Kelley got to the door. She let Alex jump in too before she brought in the rear and the doors closed.

  
“Tobs, get out of my seat, that's my wife.” Hope said before she grabbed Tobin’s shirt and then hurled into her regular spot next to Christen.

  
“I told her to sit here.” Kelley said with a smirk.

  
“I don't want anyone sitting next to you that isn't me.” Hope threw back.

  
“Why?”

  
“I don't know..” Hope said as she crossed her arms.

  
“Because you're horny.” Kelley whispered into her ear. And the nerves in that ear we're sending those electrifying pulses and signals to her brain and she felt a shiver down the whole side of her body.

Hope looked at her with darkened eyes, and even though they were surrounded by teammates, she just saw her wife.

  
Kelley sweetly and softly kissed her on the cheek and brought her lips even closer to her ear and the said pretty loudly, “Nope!”

Hope glared.

  
“Hey Solo. That's what you get when you fuck with me.” Kelley said with a smirk.

 

 

\--


	4. The Return of Adam Wright

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Please just miss it. I don’t want to go back home without you.” Kelley quietly begged as she pulled Hope back by the wrist when she had turned the knob on the door to leave Kelley’s apartment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't know if I disclosed it yet, but these glances/updates of this story are in no particular order.

\--

 

 

“Wifey.” Hope warned.

“I don’t understand how you can get mad at me for wanting you to stay with me!” Kelley raised her voice as Hope grabbed her suitcase.

“I’m not mad at you. I’m not starting a fight with you.” Hope sighed. “So stop trying to start one with me.”

The taller woman was already walking to go out the door. Her flight was in an hour, and at 4 in the morning.

“Please just miss it. I don’t want to go back home without you.” Kelley quietly begged as she pulled Hope back by the wrist when she had turned the knob on the door to leave Kelley’s apartment.

Hope looked at her small wife in her old and faded Lyon training shirt that she had stolen from Hope’s suitcase and was four sizes too big for her. The taller woman couldn’t help that her heart was melting at the sight of Kelley in her messy bun, and her tired eyes, and the way she nuzzled into the bicep of the arm she grabbed.

“I’m going to miss your snuggles.” Kelley pouted as Hope took her in for a hug.

“Babe. I’m going to miss you too.” She really was. “But until we figure out which team I’m going to go to, or you’re going to, or what the fuck ever city we are going to, I have to finish out the season. ” Hope soothed as planted a kiss on her head.

“No.” Kelley pouted as she got buried beneath Hope’s strong and long arms.

“Wifey.”

“No.” The smaller woman pouted again.

“Kell-”

“No! I don’t want to see you leave again!” Her muffled yells that Kelley yelled into Hope’s jacket were still audible enough for Hope.

“Babe. It’s just until my contract ends-”

“Just come with me to Jer’s wedding.” Kelley looked up at her with these pleading eyes. “Just one weekend, that’s it.”

Hope knew that this was going to be disastrous. Since it was an off year, their time with the national team was sparse, so most of their days were spent on opposite sides of the country while they trained with their own respective clubs.

It was becoming hard on the both of them, taking a toll on each of them differently. Kelley spent most of her time with her teammates and friends, thinking, and talking endlessly about her wife, while Hope spent most of her time trying to avoid the debilitating realization that for the time being, she would be saying ‘goodbye’ to her wife every time she saw her.

And byes were usually harder on Hope, she just didn’t show it. When Kelley would pull her in for extra kisses, or extra nuzzles, or make her turn around so that Kelley could pack her a lunch for the plane, Hope never told her wife about the thirty minutes she spent crying in an airport bathroom stall, with her hand over her mouth so that no one could hear her.

The overwhelming sadness was starting to seep in, and she needed to get away from Kelley. She didn’t want to make her wife any sadder than she usually got when Hope closed the front door, only to return two weeks later.

“I can’t.” Hope whispered.

“You said you would do anything for me.” Kelley pouted.

But she didn’t know that the statement would push Hope out the door quicker, without an explanation.

“Okay, I’m sorry!” Hope heard before the door slammed shut behind her.

 

\--

 

“Did you seriously pull the ‘you’d do anything for me’ thing again?” Erin asked with a big eye roll.

“Yes. And now she’s avoiding me. All she’s done is text me to tell me she’s landed.” Kelley said as she miserably took a bite from the tupperware of cookie dough that her sister had bought her.

“Dude. That girl bends over fucking backwards for you.” Erin chided. “You just hit her last nerve. She’s going to divorce you.”

“I hate you.” Kelley said as she flicked some of the dough at her.

“I’m just kidding, kinda.” Erin said with a smirk when she threw the cookie dough in the trash. “Plus, you know not to push her over the edge when she’s saying goodbye. Ya know that shit’s weird for her.”

“I just wanted her to go to this wedding with me!” Kelley passionately defended.

“Yeah but guilting her about her devotion to you is a little...stupid...I mean...she flew-”

“She flew across the ocean to be with me. Yeah I know. Blah blah blah.” Kelley finished for her.

“Just saying.” Erin said with a cocked eyebrow as she pressed play to start another episode of Scandal.

“Whatever! Stop being a bitch and just let me watch the episode!” Kelley groaned.

“I don’t understand why _I’m_ not the one who’s married to Hope Solo.” Erin muttered under her breath as she shook her head.

She was about to scream when she felt a dollop of cookie dough being dumped onto her head.

 

\--

 

Kelley tucked her hair behind her ear and shoved the food that was on her plate around, as her family wined and dined and laughed as they had their significant others by their sides. She looked over at Jerry and his beautiful wife to be, and felt an ache in her chest when she saw her little brother (he wasn’t so little anymore) put his arms around his goalkeeper.

_I want to put my arms around MY keeper. Why can’t she be here?_

“What's wrong, firecracker?” Her dad asked.

“Nothing.” Kelley said with a sigh.

“Missing Hope?”

“When am I not?” Kelley said with a sad smile.

“Well go call her.” He suggested.

“I can't. She's ignoring me!” Kelley said as she dramatically groaned. “Which is totally unfair! She should know how emotional I get at weddings! This is Jerry's wedding! I mean for fu-christ’s sake, she knows how much I love to dance at these things! She saw how much I owned that shit at Tobin and Christen’s wedding! Ugh!”

She spent the rest of the night plastering on a fake smile, because that was all she could muster. She tried her hardest not to let her mood overshadow the joy of her little shit brother finally getting his shit together.

Kelley thought of her wife when her future sister-in-law came with the women of the family, and parted ways from her soulmate. She felt how hard it must have been for them to separate so soon before their big day. She knew how hard it was to leave the one you loved.

As soon as Kelley got to her childhood home, she turned on her dad’s apple tv and streamed the Reign game that was 21 minutes in. She tried hard not to feel so sad at the sight of her wife, with the black Reign kit, and these red and white gloves on, the ones she only put on for special occasions.

“Damn, when she divorces you, I’m next in line.” Erin laughed.

“I. Hate. You.” Kelley said through clenched teeth.

“Chill. I’m married.” Erin said as she looked up from texting someone and flashed her ring finger.

Kelley mirrored her older sister and pulled out her own phone.

K: I’m sorry, Hopey. [9:23pm]

 

\--

 

K: I miss you.  [7:32am]

K: I’m just getting hair and makeup done. Thinking of you. [8:02am]

Usually, by now, Hope would have answered. So when she looked at her phone and it read 12:02 pm, Kelley got so frustrated that she buried her it at the bottom of her bag and vowed to not look at it until after the wedding.

“You’re a psycho.” Erin said with widened eyes.

“Hope hasn’t texted me back!” Kelley said with the frustration seeping out.

“Really?” Erin asked in disbelief. “Because she..nevermind. That sucks.” Erin muttered.

Kelley spent her time before the wedding huffing and puffing and making weird faces at herself when she thought of the conversation that she was going to have with her wife when she saw her.

Kelley only managed to put on a smile, and uncross her arms when she saw the bride in her wedding dress.

 

\--

 

“May I have this dance?”

She looked up and gave a wry smile at the man that had bowed before her and held out his hand.

“How charming.” Kelley said softly.

“Well I’ve been told that a pretty lady has been sitting all by herself, and no one has come up to do something about it.” Adam said with a gentle smile.

“You were always a fucking charmer, huh, Wright?” Kelley smirked.

“Always, Mrs. Solo.” He said as she grabbed his hand and he whisked her away onto the dance floor.

And just like way back when, she put her arms around his neck and they swayed to a song with a slow beat. Time had changed a lot. He was gruffer and taller and his features were rugged, older, and wiser. And her features were sharper, stronger, and she had a different last name than the last time they danced like this. The arms around her were a little stronger than last time, he wasn’t wearing the same color suit, but he was the same boy (man) that was here to save her from her loneliness.

“How are you?” She asked breathlessly after she had giggled when he tried to dip her.

“I’m doing alright, Kellz.” He said with a genuine grin that was sliding up on his mouth. “Couldn’t miss my little dude getting married!”

“Yeah, my little bro is fucking married. Isn’t it crazy how the time has passed?” She asked.

“Yeah, crazy.” He said as met her gaze. “Life’s..crazy, huh?”

“Things have gotten a bit fancier since junior prom.” She said as she pointed at the ridiculous bridesmaid dress she had on and the fancy pair of shoes he was sporting. He gave her a thumbs up in response.

They must have danced to five songs. All upbeat ones that played on the radio, all ones that Kelley couldn’t resist. And when she was moving her feet, and Erin was standing five feet away, laughing at her, it was hard not to enjoy herself, even when her wife wasn’t there.

“How are you and Hope?” Adam asked as he handed her a beer.

“She’s mad at me.” Kelley said as she shook her head.

“What’d you do wrong?” He asked as he shuffled back and forth to the beat.

“Hey! Why do you assume that I did something wrong??” She asked indignantly.

He looked at her with a smirk.

“Fine.” She surrendered.

 

\--

 

Many of the guests were starting to clear out, and it was well into the evening when Kelley had her arms around Adam’s neck for the twelfth song that they danced together. The memories, the Stanford days, and the familiar face all made for the huge smile on her face.

 

It was so huge, that Hope could see it from across the room when she spotted the pair on the dance floor.

 

\--

 

“Thank you for stepping in for me, Mr. Wright.” Kelley heard from behind, the voice that made her world spin on it’s axis.

“No problem, Mrs. Solo.” He said with small smile, before he walked away “After all, I owed you one.”

Hope chuckled at that, but Kelley stood there in disbelief. She found herself wordlessly taking a few steps towards this strikingly, and painfully beautiful figure in a fitted suit, all dolled up, just for her.

“You’re here.” Kelley was about to cry. Her wife wordlessly put both of her hands on her lower back and possessively brought her closer. She felt the Earth tilt when she closed her eyes from the pleasure of Hope’s cheek on hers.

“Put your arms around my neck, or I’m going to feel like you don’t like dancing with me as much as you did with him.” Hope smirked.

“You're my everything.” Kelley breathed out. Even though she could see the smirk, the joke riddled in Hope’s expression as she said those words, she knew that she wasn't going to get this chance again. To proclaim her unwavering devotion to the woman in front of her, after dancing in the arms of the person that mistakenly got brought in between them.

“It's YOU. No one else.” Kelley pushed.

“I know.” Hope said. “I know.”

They both swayed to the soft music.

“This makes me think of prom.” Kelley said as she straightened out the bow tie around Hope’s neck. “And the dress that you never saw me in.”

Hope put her forehead on the smaller woman's.

“I saw you in it.” Hope said quietly.

“What...?” Kelley asked. She thought that she must have misheard her.

“I saw you in it. The short, green one?” Hope asked as she recalled the details of what her wife was wearing way back in time.

“H-h-how did you k-know that?” Kelley asked. Her breathing starting to get heavy. Because Hope Solo was making her fall in love all over again.

“Well, back when I was in Sweden, maybe the summer after you guys graduated (?) I was skyping with Ali and Ash and I asked them how you were doing, and then Al showed me a picture of you all at prom.” Hope said simply. “She refused at first, because she said it would be too hard for me, but I told her that it would be too hard for me to _not_ see you on that day.”

“So i guess, technically, I never saw it in person, but-”

She didn't get to finish her sentence. Because her wife's lips were furiously capturing her own.

Kelley felt a wildfire of love spread throughout her body and felt herself being drawn in more and more each time she found out what her wife did for her during their years apart.

When they pulled apart, she felt Hope’s strong hands cup her face.

“What was that for, wifey?” She whispered, breathlessly.

“For doing the impossible.” She said in awe. “For making me fall even more in love with you.”

Hope lowered her head, bashfully.

“What else did you do for me when you were gone?” Kelley asked as her eyes went back and forth searching for the answer in those of her wife.

“I just loved you, Kell. Even when I knew you couldn't feel it.” Hope said as she looked at her feet.

She didn't look up until Kelley had stroked her brow and softly planted her lips on Hope’s nose, hoping that it would be gentle enough to let her know how much she loved her.

“I asked Adam to keep you company while I flew out here. That's why I didn't answer any of your texts. I was on the first flight.” Hope said as she searched Kelley's face.

When she met her gaze, the smaller woman submerged herself into the sea of blue in Hope’s eyes, and then emerged anew, baptized into the religion devoted to the divine and beautiful Hope Solo.

“I love you.” Kelley said as she buried her face into the Hope’s chest.

“I love you, too.” Hope whispered. She kissed the top of her wife's head.

“I don't deserve you.” Kelley said as she burrowed even further into Hope’s arms. “You asked the person that you knew was going to be here in order to keep me company, that wasn't my insufferable family. The person you hated.”

Hope shrugged.

“I know NOW,” Hope said with a chuckle, “that I have your attention. I have your lips. I have your body. I have your time. I have what's mine.”

Kelley felt the familiarity of the words and the long awaited resolve that it carried with it, in her heart

“Holy shit, Hope Yolo.” They both turned to see Erin just a few feet away from them, with her mouth wide open. “You're too good.”

 

\--

 

After a short dance with Ella at Erin's urging and Kelley's begrudged blessing, Hope and Kelley found themselves on the dance floor, in each other's arms for the last song of the night, dedicated to them, and the dance they never got at their prom, as announced by Dan O’Hara.

“By the way, this is the real reason I'm here.” Hope sweetly whispered in her ear after she had shot Dan a thumbs up.

“What do you mean?”

“This dance.” Hope said as she reached into her jacket pocket. “I mean, I love Jer, don't get me wrong. But I texted Erin to get me this today, it's a little squished, sorry.”

And then, Hope pulled out a corsage.

“Lame, I know, but-”

“Shut up, you're ruining it!” Erin's voice came through the mic.

“Just go with it!” Karen O’Hara yelled from the distance.

“Sorry.” Hope muttered. But nothing for Kelley was ruined. She stared on with widened eyes as Hope clumsily slipped on the wilted flower around her wrist.

“You flew all the way out here...just to have a pseudo prom dance with me?” She asked as she clutched her heart.

Hope looked at her with this goofy smile.

“Well yeah. I'd do anything for you.”

 

\--

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> https://instagram.com/p/BOxKBl_jmX8/
> 
> So like I know that in this AU they didn't go to junior prom...just go with it.


	5. Let's do it my way

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Small little Drabble

The stress was becoming too much for Kelley. The flowers, the food, the guests, the venue, her family. The thought of that last one made her roll her eyes.

“I thought you were excited to be able to do something big with your mom.” Hope said gently when she had brought Kelley into her embrace. “Is it not going well?”

Kelley gave way at the touch of her fiancée’s strong arm around her. It had been a couple of weeks since she had last breathed in that Tide smell.

“These last few games with Sky, dude, I've been doing horrible. I just haven't had time to decompress.” Kelley groaned. “It's going fucking horribly. It makes me not want to have a wedding, anymore.”

“Okay. Done.” Hope said simply.

“Seriously?” Kelley's asked with a scrunched up nose. “You’re going to give up on the most important day of our lives that easily?”

Hope poked her in the ribs and nuzzled in the crook of her neck.

“Babe. Its not the most important day of our lives.” Hope said with reassurance.

“Uh excuse me?” Kelley asked.

“The most important day of our lives happened ages ago. When we first got together. Because that's when we all knew I hooked you.” Hope said with a smirk.

“Ugh. You're so annoying.” Kelley said, “and so fucking cute.”

Hope chuckled at that while she continued to land sweet kisses on Kelley's neck.

“Seriously. Stop doing it. I'll take over.” Hope said simply.

“Shut up.” Kelley waved her off.

“No i'm serious.” Hope pushed.

The smaller woman gazed at her.

“Hope. I'm too tired for your BS right now.” Kelley shook her head.

“Kell.” The keeper took her fiancée in closer and swung her legs over her lap. “Let me do it. I'll take over.”

“Are you serious?” Kelley asked slowly.

“Yeah. But that means I get to make the decisions. I get to make changes.”

Kelley leaned back to really look at Hope.

“You're seriously not bullshitting me?”

“Yeah.” Hope said simply.

“Let's do it my way.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- wretched


	6. The Girl that had Almost Got Away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After all that they had been through, the fact that she had finally tethered Hope down to stick around for her, that had made Kelley's childhood dreams come true.

 

“What are you doing?” Hope asked slowly when she had walked into their bedroom to see Kelley's ass in the air and her head stuck in between the wood floor and the base of their bed.

The tall woman watched with interest when she watched Kelley’s butt as she shimmied out of her hold.

“Uh. Nothing!” Kelley said as she dusted the dust off of her jeans and gave Hope a bright smile.

“Mhmm. Okay, Kell.” Hope said slowly as she walked past her wife and into the bathroom. She eyed her suspiciously.

She ducked her head back into their bedroom seconds later to see her wife still standing their with her legs crossed and her smile too bright for it to be natural.

  
\--

  
“Babe, your shirts are in the pile over there.” Hope pointed at the basket in the other corner.

“Yeah I know.” Kelley said as she bumped her wife aside and grabbed one of her large Courage shirts that felt like silk. Hope pouted at the sight of her favorite shirts being pulled over her wife’s head.

“Wifey. That's mine.” She pulled Kelley back by the wrist to bring her in for a bear hug, but she felt a little taken aback when her wife had whipped her hand back from her grasp.

“Kell. Are...you okay?” The keeper asked slowly. She registered the speed at which Kelley had drawn back at her touch.

“Ummm..yeah Hopey.” Kelley said. Her eyes darted back and forth. Hope watched the way she darted out of their closet.

 

\--

 

“Where are you and Sonnet going?” Hope asked from her seat on the couch.

“Ummm...froyo.” Kelley said before she had slammed the front door shut.

Hope shook her head. Whenever those two hung out, they were always up to no good.

 

\--

  
“Babe. It's like midnight.” Hope rubbed her eyes. She felt Kelley kiss her head.

“Go back to sleep, bunny. Can you just tell me where the ice pack is?” Kelley asked.

“What??” Hope shot up.

“Nothing babe!” Kelley reassured. “Go back to sleep!”

 

  
\--

 

Kelley would never get used to the sight of Hope Solo standing outside of WakeMed park, leaning against the side of her car, waiting for her. After all that they had been through, the fact that she had finally tethered Hope down to stick around for her, that had made Kelley's childhood dreams come true.

No more youth national team soccer camps that Hope had to attend without her, no more oceans and heartbreak to separate them, and no more living on opposite coasts.

Everyday, she would walk out those doors and see that girl that had almost got away.

“How was practice?” Hope asked as she kissed her little squirrel on the top of her head.

“I'm tired.” Kelley pouted.

“Well let's go home so that I can snuggle with you.” Hope said as she twirled her wife around.

Kelley squealed with delight.

“How's your shoulder today, bunny?” Kelley asked as she held onto Hope’s bicep as they walked to the passenger side of the car.

“Eh. It's stiff.” Hope said sadly. “But I'll be okay.”

The keeper reached down to grab her wife's hand, but then felt the empty space of air that Kelley's hand used to be.

Hope smirked. “You want to tell me what's up with you?”

“Uh. Nothing, babe.” Kelley said quickly.

Hope rolled her eyes.

“Kell. I know you lost your ring.” Hope said knowingly.

“No I didn't!” Kelley said panickedly before she jumped in Hope’s ride and then slammed the door shut.

The keeper sighed. She shook her head at the antics of her wife.

“Why do you hide this shit from me?” Hope asked with a chuckle when she had put their car in the drive.

“I didn't lose it, I just misplaced it!” Kelley said quickly.

“I haven't seen it on your finger for the past two weeks!” Hope laughed.

“Okay. Okay.” Kelley said. “I'm really sorry.”

“It's okay Kell, we can just buy an-”

“No.” Kelley said strongly.

“What do you mean ‘no’?” Hope asked slowly.

Kelley shifted in her seat.

“Don't buy another band, babe.” Kelley said quietly.

“Why not?” Hope asked curiously.

“Because. We don't need it.” Kelley said before she had interlaced her fingers with her wife's.

At the red light, Hope smiled at the sight of her wife’s swollen, left ring finger and the red-tinged, thin black line that had been tattooed at the base of it.

“I fucking love you.” Hope whispered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- Wretched


	7. Well I Think it Looks Adorable

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I just didn't know what it was like to have you voluntarily leave me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A Little angsty...jk
> 
>  
> 
> A LOT angsty.

 

It had been three years since she had strapped on her last pair of gloves. The pair of gloves that looked exactly like the first. She spent her days in her workshop looking at them as they hung on a nail right next to her dad's old boxing gloves, alongside all of her power tools hung on the wall.

 

Sometimes she spent the days looking at them for an amount of time that had escaped her mental grasp. The sun would be up when she first glanced at them, and then she would spend the hours holed up in the workshop that Kelley had built for her years ago, and then she would blink, and the sun would be down. Through her red and tired eyes, she would turn the light off in the shop, but not before she would take one last glance at those gloves.

 

Most of the time, it was her wife who would shake her out of her zone and snap her back to attention. It was always around 10pm at night when she would feel Kelley's small hand on her bicep and hear a soft, “Bunny?” whispered in her ear, before she would tear herself away from whatever trance she had been in.

 

“I miss you.” Kelley would whisper when they laid in this bed that, for a couple of years, had felt more like an ocean separating them.

 

Hope would sigh and then hide her eyes in the heel of her hands, her go-to mechanism to avoiding the pleas of her wife.

 

“Kell...stop. I'm right here.” Hope would always say, defeatedly.

 

But they both knew that wasn't true. She was never there.

 

“Izzy misses her mom.” Kelley would whisper, knowing that it would knock Hope more into the depths of her depression, because at this point, she didn’t know what else to do. She would tug on Hope’s t-shirt, hoping that it would tug at her heartstrings like it used to.

 

“I take Isabella to school everyday.” Hope said with an eye roll as she turned her head on her pillow to look at her wife.

 

“You know what I mean.” Kelley said softly. She would hold onto Hope’s shirt tightly and bunch it in her hand while she scooted closer, and strengthen her hold around her wife's torso when she felt the devastatingly familiar movement of Hope trying to move away.

 

This happened almost every night.

  
  


\--

  
  


For the past two years, they had gotten used to the humdrum of this depressing cycle of their lives. Kelley would go to training, while Hope stayed cooped up in their beautiful house and waste away before she had to pick their kid from school.

 

Izz would always run up to her and hug her neck so tightly when she had spotted her mom in front of the school, and every single time, Hope would feel like bawling her eyes out.

 

Seeing her beautiful daughter, with her black braid swinging wildly, and her face with such fucking pure joy at the sight of Hope, was sometimes too much to handle.

 

“Mommy. Someone told me that they saw pictures of you on the internet!” Izzy would usually fill her in on if any of her classmates talked about her famous mom. Usually there was always something to tell her mom when Hope had buckled her into the front seat. Or on some days, she would say something completely badass like, “Mommy, Cruz took my book from me so I punched him in the tummy.”

 

Technically, Hope wasn't supposed to put her in the front seat because she was only 8, but Hope was a rule breaker, and apparently, so was her daughter.

 

They would spend the ride home talking constantly, Hope cherishing that this was the best part her day. A lot of days, the woman would delay taking her home and treat her to ice cream, or take her out to the soccer fields to kick a ball around, something that the little girl only half-heartedly enjoyed.

 

But Hope would do anything to keep going back to the same dreaded four walls that became the host of Hope’s depression. Because the instant that she unlocked the front door and Izzy bounced right into their home before her, it was like a switch that had been flipped.

 

She would sit on the same workshop stool that she spent her day on, while she pushed her daughter away and ordered her to do her homework.

 

Hope zoned out, thinking about the strong woman she used to be, and the one she was not anymore.

 

_Izzy deserves better._

 

That had been the dialogue in her head for awhile. Even Kelley's whispered encouragements, loving touches, and daily reminders that she was still the same human being she was three years ago even though she was retired, were not enough to convince her.

 

Her shoulder ached. Her body was not the same. She couldn't pick Izzy up high over her head like she used to.

 

“That's because she's growing.” Kelley would reason.

 

“Stop. I'm not looking for excuses!” Hope yelled frustratingly.

 

“Babe. We are 38 years old!” Kelley yelled back. “You had surgery twice in your twenties! You've been diving on that shit for your whole life! Give yourself a break!”

 

“I don't know what that means!” Hope wanted to pull her hair out.

 

“Well maybe if you fucking wore that sling like the doc told you to for the three months, we could go back to see if it had improved with the rest!”

 

“I'm fucking useless with that sling!” Hope shook her head and walked away.

 

This was a conversation they repeated weekly.

  


\--

 

The problems in their marriage were not helping Hope’s mental state.

 

They had gone a couple of months without having sex after the retirement game, and at first Kelley thought it was because of their lack of time. But when Hope had decided to forego their annual visit to Paris on Valentine’s Day, and instead spent the evening in her pajamas and avoid looking at Kelley, she knew that their lack of intimacy was because Hope just didn't want to be.

 

This killed Kelley.

 

But it also killed Hope. Her adequacy issues had been so warped into the fibers of her brain that it had affected the one part of their relationship that never had a problem.

 

And Kelley had been pushed away and rejected too many times for it not to affect her ego. She knew deep down in the heart that a long time ago had been given away, that there would never be another Hope Solo. But after a year of having sex maybe once or twice, it was hard not to flirt back with the many men and women that looked her up and down.

 

“What are you doing?” She heard Hope’s guarded voice from behind her when some random blonde athlete at the ESPN party had bought her a drink and kissed her on the cheek at the bar.

 

Kelley had to admit that she found a little satisfaction in Hope’s obvious jealousy and possessiveness, because it was a little reminder that Hope still wanted her to some degree, but when her wife had fallen asleep after their rare and intense love making, Kelley laid in their bed, a forlorn mess, who felt more alone than ever.

 

She didn't want Hope’s depression and anger to be the reason they had sex. She wanted it to be out of love. So she stopped the flirting, and ventured to figure out how to get her wife back, alone. And she could do it. Because after the past couple of years, it was a feeling she was getting used to.

 

And Hope Solo knew all of this. She just didn't know how to fix it.

  
  


__

  


It wasn't until the end of season, at the year, when they had reached their breaking point. Kelley had opted to take a break from the Courage and from Hope, and decided to spend sometime back in their hometown.

 

“So you're just leaving me?” Hope asked with no expression, no feeling.

 

“What about Izzy?” Hope pushed.

 

“I'm going to come back every other weekend.” Kelley sighed.

 

“Is it getting that much easier to leave me?” Hope asked when Kelley had her suitcase in her hand, and the doorknob in the other.

 

Those words sounded so familiar. And it must have resonated off of the walls of that Stanford library study room when she had asked Christen Press the same thing.

 

But she was tired, and unhappy.

 

“Why are you acting like you want me to stay?” She whispered.

 

There was no reply before she had closed the door.

  
  


\--

  
  


At first, Kelley had felt the true despondency of the lack of communication from Hope. They had agreed that this would be a break for the both of them, but Kelley couldn't help but think that they had already had one.

 

_I spent ten years away from you. Isn't that enough?_

 

Kelley had finally suggested therapy when she had the comfort of being in her old home’s kitchen, hundreds of miles away, and not within Hope Solo’s range of cold indifference or anger. It was becoming obvious that no one, not even Dani or Christen, was going to be able to rescue Hope from herself.

 

The didn't talk for awhile after that. Kelley decided to extend the break indefinitely.

 

Hope and Kelley talked every once in awhile, but the conversations were mostly of Kelley facetiming with Hope for two seconds before izzy’s face popped up and occupied her time. It seemed that as the weeks went by, that Hope had become more busy. Because their talks had been stilted and Hope was always off to do something else, an errand of sort.That made Kelley question her wife’s fidelity for a second. She spent one whole night as a sobbing mess as she cuddled into her mom’s embrace before she had passed out.

 

“How is she all of a sudden busy?!?” Kelley cried.

 

But Karen didn’t have the answers.

  


\--

  


“Thank you.” Kelley whispered when a tear had fallen down her face after Hope had suggested that she fly their daughter down so that Kelley could spend Valentine's Day with her.

 

“She misses you.”

 

“Do you?” Kelley asked breathlessly.

 

“Kell....of course.”

 

That was the only thing said before Hope had hung up.

  
  


\--

  


“No. I'm picking up the little crazy. That's not fair that she gets to be your daughter and not mine.” Erin said with crossed arms.

 

“Whatever.” Kelley's said. “That's fine with me. Give me more time to get ready for our fun date.”

 

“How's...how's Yolo?” Erin asked softly when she had picked up her keys to head out and pick her niece up from the airport.

 

The silence was enough to answer her question.

  
  


\--

  


“You know, maybe you just need more time to think about it?” Kelley said as she felt her heart start to sink a little. She watched her daughter grab her hand and then lead her to the table with the plate of many pizzas in her other hand.

 

“Mom.” Izzy said seriously. “Mommy and I talked about it. I don't want to play soccer anymore.”

 

“B-b-but you're only 8, you can-”

 

“Mom. I'm trying to be mature. Don't make this hard on the both of us.” Izzy said as she took a bite of her slice and then put a reassuring hand on her mother’s arm.

 

“I feel like you’re breaking up with me.” Kelley said sadly. This was definitely not the Valentine’s day she had signed up for. She too put a slice in her mouth and stared on miserably at the other moms and their kids at the pizza buffet.

 

“Me and soccer will always be friends.” Izzy said as she put the pineapple on her mom’s plate.

 

“But it's not the same.” Kelley pushed. She put the fruit into her pizza, not even questioning the habit that her daughter had undoubtedly picked up from Hope. It made her chest pang a little of the small reminder of the wife she had miles away. Because their kid was a smart girl that had at least 20 other stations to pick from that would have a pizza that didn’t have pineapple on it. She was just like her mommy.

 

“Mommy says that soccer is a cruel sport anyways.”

 

Kelley sighed.

 

“How is Bunny anyways?”

 

Izzy stuffed the second slice in her mouth and swallowed before answering.

 

“Mommy misses you.” Izz said as she looked down at her plate. “She talks about you all the time.”

 

_Really?_

 

Kelley affectionately stroked the hairs out of her daughter's face. “You know Bunny and I love you, right?”

 

“But mommy says she doesn't know if you still love her.”

  
  


\--

  
  


“Mom. Can I call mommy before I go to bed? I just want to tell her I love her.”

 

_So do I, kid. So do I._

 

She handed her daughter her phone before she had closed her old childhood bedroom door to give them privacy, and then collapsed onto the carpet.

 

_Hope Solo, I love you. Why are you questioning that?_

 

Through her silent sobs, she listened to her daughter and wife’s muffled voices as they spoke.

 

The retirement had been too much for Hope, too much for the both of them. Kelley knew that she had been lucky enough to play for this long, becoming the second to do what Piercy had trail blazed, and she knew that it was going to be hard when she had to hang up the boots, but she didn't think about how much harder it was going to be for her wife.

 

Because yeah, Kelley had given her life to the game, but no one could deny that Hope Solo’s life _was_ the game. Hope didn't go to college, she didn't have wild spring breaks, she didn't have a normal childhood with summer camps and pool parties. Hope Solo had Kelley, izzy, and soccer. That’s it.

 

And as Kelley sat in the hallway, she realized that Hope, all this time, has been mourning the death of the life she has always known. The death of one of the loves of her life.

 

“Mommy?”

 

Kelley quickly wiped her eyes when she saw her daughter looking at her curiously, with her iPhone in her hand.

 

“Are you okay?” Izzy said as she handed Kelley her stuffed bunny, her favorite animal to sleep with, the one Hope had given to her the day they had adopted her.

 

Kelley chuckled as she grabbed it. It was her daughter's way of lending comfort.

 

“I'm okay, baby.” Kelley said.

 

“Good. Because I have a valentine day card for you! I almost forgot, but mommy reminded me!”

 

Kelley smiled as she watched her daughter dig into the depths of her suitcase and pull out a grubby looking small piece of paper.

 

When she had taken the note from her daughter's hand, Kelley had felt a strange feeling. Because this piece of paper looked familiar. She unfolded it.

 

 _Sexy Solo, will you go on a date with me_ _tonight_ _?_  
  
_[ ] Yes_  
_[ ] No_  
_  
_ _Please check off your answer ~~and~~_ ~~_leave it in my locker_.~~ and meet me at 93720 FM RD.

  
_P.S. I think you’re pretty hot._  
_  
_ _~~-Kell~~ _ <3 HS

  


Kelley felt like crying. She knew that address, she knew what that had meant. She clutched her chest, and this time, she didn't stifle her sobs.

 

“Mommy?”

 

Kelley hugged her daughter so tightly.

 

“Mommy. Are you okay?” Izzy asked over her shoulder.

 

Kelley nodded.

 

“Aunty Erin texted you and said that she’s outside and to let her in to babysit me. I don't know why, all she's going to do is watch Netflix while I sleep.” Izzy said exasperatedly.

 

“Wait...did you tell aunty to come over here...?” Kelley said as she pulled back from her daughter.

 

“No.” Her daughter looked at her like she was a crazy psycho.

 

“Mommy did. Duh.”

  
  


\--

 

When she heard the sound of the rocks crunch underneath her tires, her heart started beating rapidly.

 

The lights were on. She was there already.

 

The place had been abandoned and cleared of people hours ago. From first glance and first impression, Kelley could see that the facilities were a little more updated since she had last been here with Christen. This place had changed.

 

But nothing, not money, nor time could change what happened here years ago.

 

Kelley had parked the old Beamer crookedly and practically ran out of the car and onto the grass, because these stadium grade lights had illuminated quite possibly, the most beautiful sight her eyes could lay upon.

 

She slowed down her steps the closer she got, but the tears were already starting fall.

 

Seeing Hope Solo in a suit that made her look even better than the day they got married, on a familiar grassy soccer field in the middle of the night was both amatory and monumental.

 

“I hope you don't mind, I went snooping in your memory box to find that note.” Hope called out.

 

Kelley had no response. She just kept her hand on her heart as she continued to move closer to this mesmerizing sight. She furiously tried to rub the aches and pain in her chest at the sight of her wife in the same spot, on this same earth, as the night of their first date.

 

Kelley didn't know what to say. So Hope did the talking for her.

 

“I've been going to therapy.” Hope said softly.

 

A new wave of sobs crashed over kelley.

 

“That’s what I’ve been doing during my days.” Hope said with a grim expression. “I'm not fixed. And I won't be for a long time.”

 

Kelley nodded at that, because she understood that. She also took in the sight of the new addition to Hope’s outfit. She put her hands on the strap.

 

“How could you ever question if I still love you?” Kelley whispered into the night.

 

Hope put her free hand on Kelley's hip to bring her closer and kissed her softly like she did years ago.

 

“Did Izzy tell you that?”

 

Kelley nodded as she buried her face into the lapels of Hope’s suit. She breathed in the Tide.

 

“I just didn't know what it was like to have you voluntarily leave me.”

 

“Heartbreaking, isn't it?” Kelley asked sadly.

 

“Yeah.” Hope whispered.

 

“Imagine if I had gone to another country and-”

 

“Alright, alright. I get it.” Hope smirked. Kelley chuckled.

 

The wind whipped, the stadium lights buzzed, and the two women were finding that love again.

 

“I know this doesn't fix all of it.” Hope said solemnly. “But I-I-”

 

“I love you.” Kelley whispered.

 

Hope brought her closer. They both already knew. They stayed like that for a long time. It felt like maybe long enough that their teenage selves in a parallel universe had been given enough time to catch up to them now. Same place, same love, same intensity.

 

When Kelley had finally pulled away, she noticed the blanket laid down a few feet away and softly smiled. Hope wiped the tears from her face.

 

“A little more tamer than last time.” Hope smirked. “Just going to have to stargaze with me instead of shooting on goal.”

 

“Can't really be your keeper this time.” She said as she looked down at the sling that had held her elbow close to her body.

 

“This shit sucks.” Hope pouted. “Plus it totally ruins the look when you're trying to impress your wife!”

 

Kelley felt her heart beat fast as she watched her wife struggle to adjust the sling. Kelley clutched her chest.

 

“Well, I think it looks adorable.” Kelley said softly.

 

“And you’ll always be my keeper.”

 

 

\--

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- Wretched (wretchedthorium.tumblr.com)


	8. Rage Engine Revving

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Senior year, It will always catch up to Kelley

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TRIGGER WARNING: NOT FLUFF this isn't meant for all audiences. It deals with a lot of mature content and serious issues that 'The girl with the red and white gloves' had. This is NOT fluff. And you don't need to necessarily read this update.
> 
> So Please be advised and just know that their are trigger warnings associated with this chapter.
> 
> Also, if you're late to the game, none of this update will make sense unless you read part 1.

Hope had been stirring the bowl of ingredients that Kelley had abandoned when Erin had shown up unexpectedly. She felt the muscles in her forearm starting to cramp at how furiously she was whipping whatever was in the bowl, pretending that her guilt could dissolve within the solution. To be fair, her scheming was embedded with the best of intentions.  But still, the unusually still and calm reaction of Kelley to her older sister on their doorstep, well that made her second guess trying to recruit Erin’s help.

 

~~

 

“Hey brat.” Erin said softly.

Hope could see Kelley’s back muscles tense. She had made sure to make herself seem “busy” with the laundry when Erin had given her the two minute warning that she was close to their home, so that it was her wife that had answered the door. So, when Kelley opened the door, she was glad that she didn’t actually see Kelley’s face.

“Erin.” Kelley blinked several times. “What are you doing here?”

Hope was close enough that she could see the smallest tremble in Erin’s lower lip. It was true, and now the oldest O’Hara had seen with her own eyes. Kelley was withdrawn completely.

Erin had one leg on the porch step, and the other on the driveway as she held out her hand to her little sister.

“Walk with me.” Erin quietly instructed.

Hope‘s grip on the very worn and old Stanford shirt that she was folding when the door rang tightened when Kelley slowly turned and gave her an exasperated sigh.

_Why did you invite her?_

“Go.” Hope whispered. She looked back down at the shirt so she could pretend to fold it.

Kelley looked at her older sister and walked towards her like a dog with her tail in between her legs. Kelley couldn’t explain why her 32- year- old self felt like she was a kid walking up to their mom after a day of being bullied on the playground. The sensation of Erin’s skin on hers made her want to cry. There was something about feeling the touch of someone who had the same blood in their veins as yours.

 

~~

 

“I love you.”

Back in the day, that phrase wouldn’t have been the easiest to mutter. But, this time, Kelley really needed her love. Erin had spent countless hours staring at her phone, just waiting for the text from Hope, telling her how her baby sister had been doing. She had blown off Real Housewives marathon just so that she could talk to Kelley’s wife for the thirty minutes she had on the ride home from training, every night for the past four months.

“I love you too, Er.” It seemed like it took all the energy in Kelley’s body to say it back.

They kept walking. The sound of their footsteps as they walked along the perimeter of the huge green field that was Kelley and Hope’s lawn, soothed Erin. The nerves that prickled her chest and ignited the butterflies in her stomach slowly relaxed. This was a conversation that had been a long time coming.

“I know that you know you have a wife that loves you,” Erin said as she stopped in her tracks, “but you have to know that your family loves you too.”

“I know.” Kelley said before she had continued past her sister.

“I miss you.” Erin said before she followed and stared at the back of Kelley’s head.

“I know.” Kelley said with no emotion left in her body.

“Did I do something?” Erin asked, knowing full well, that she had done nothing to spark this behavior.

“No.”

By this time, Kelley was leading them down the street at a much faster pace than when they had started out. Erin could feel the rage engine revving inside Kelley’s body.

“Don’t shut me out again.” Erin couldn’t quite keep up with Kelley’s fast walking pace. She hadn’t dedicated her life to fitness quite like her sister. She jogged so that she could keep up, but she didn’t dare reach out to touch her again.

“I didn’t ask you to come here.” Kelley bit back.

“I want to be here.” She pushed. “Okay? There was a time when you actually wanted to hang out with me, too.”

The pain of the truth just hit Kelley somewhere soft, somewhere vulnerable in her chest. This felt like an attack on Kelley, and she didn’t know why her wife and her sister had ambushed her.

“What do you want Erin?” Kelley’s voice cracked as she begged the woman. She turned around to face her, but she didn’t really quite meet her eyes. This was all just so exhausting. Kelley knew deep down that she was causing the hurt on Erin’s face, but it was just something that she didn’t want to deal with right now. She could feel Erin’s tiny body hug her midsection, and she could hear the weird wafts of airplane smell in Erin’s hair. Kelley’s arms felt heavy but she figured that she should hold Erin back.

“Kelley.”

Erin was still holding onto her and she was looking up at Kelley’s eyes.

“You and I didn’t fight. But we haven’t talked. I know you’re ignoring all of our texts and calls. Only reason we know you’re alive is Hope.”

They were all true statements.

“It’s been 8 months since I last saw you, or even talked to you.” Erin said softly. “And this is the conversation we are having? Why? This isn’t normal, I haven’t-I’m not accusing you of anything, or blaming you, or anything like that. Why are you being like this?”

Kelley sighed.

“First, it was when mom found out you were gay. Then when you found out that dad was really sick. And then, after the world cup. What is it this time??” Erin begged. “Why do you do this?”

“I’m not doing anything.” Kelley pouted as she gently squirmed out of Erin’s embrace. She hated that her older sister were bringing those periods in her life up.

Erin sighed. “You’re…burning bridges. You’re pushing people away when you don’t want to talk about it. You think I don’t know about your fight with Christen??Kell, you’re not…you.”

“This is me.” Kelley retorted defensively. “And Chris needs to just keep her fucking mouth shut.”

“Babe.” The older sister scolded, “you’re not talking to Pressy because she had asked the ref for a foul on your part during a game??? You?? Kell…”

“Fuck, Er. Wha- why are you here?” Kelley sighed.

“Can you at least exist? Can you at least live? Can you not push mom and I away when-“She had grabbed onto Kelley’s arm to beg for her real sister to come back, but the hollowed shadow that had occupied Kelley’s body had brushed her off harshly. The gesture wasn’t particularly violent, but the message was clear, that Kelley was enraged now.

“I’m not asking you to fly down here!” Kelley’s nose flared with the anger that had jumped in so suddenly.

“Are you depressed?” Erin asked.

Kelly just shook her head. “Stop.”

“Christen told me about you in the car on the highway after the world cup.” Erin said.

All of the air left the younger sister’s body. Not even Hope knew about that.

“Is this as bad as high school senior year?” Erin asked softly.

“No.” Kelley said as her gaze stayed fixated on the asphalt of the street under their feet. This was not something she ever talked about. Every once in awhile, during a very rare blue moon, Kelley would feel little moments that made her feel like life had finally swallowed her whole, and she would try to share those feeling with Hope to the best of her ability.

But up until this point, she had never really told Hope about why she never wants to go to Uncle Tito’s Tacos when they’re back in their hometown, or why Christen and Kelley had left Kelley’s Civic on the side of the highway. She had never told Hope about how Christen had walked up to her window when she had recognized Kelley’s car on the shoulder of the road. She didn’t tell Hope that Christen had been frozen with fear because the car was in Park, but Kelley had been putting her gas on the pedal, and a 30 ft. drop from high rise road separated by a measly metal bumper was 10 yards away from her car.

She never told Hope any of this.

And only Erin knew about these two events in her life.

“What is it”” this time? What happened?” Erin’s eyes searched that of her sister’s for the answer.

Kelley’s hands waved as she tried to articulate, because her answer was the hardest answer to give.

“Nothing happened.” Kelley admitted with such painful submission. “I’m doing great in training, Hope’s doing great in training, her and I are- I mean before this all started happening, we were amazing.”

Kelley sighed. “Nothing happened. I’m just….like this sometimes.”

 

 

~~

 

“Hey, you guys are back already?” Hope said as she saw the two sisters walk back into their home.

“Yeah.” Erin said. Her stare was loaded, but she had a lightness to her step. “I’m gonna grab us some coffee, so I’ll be back.”

Kelley had wordlessly nuzzled into Hope’s personal bubble and had refuge in her touch. Hope could see Erin swinging her rental car keys in her hand as she nodded assuredly to Hope.

_We talked. We’re gonna figure this out._

“I can continue making the lemon bars babe, you don’t have to do it this time.” Kelley said gently after she had planted a long kiss of her wife’s lips.

“I don’t mind. I can do it.” Hope assured.

“Okay, I’m going to finish the load of laundry.” Kelley offered with a smile.

Hope was starting to feel a little better. It was obvious that Erin’s presence wasn’t a surprise to Hope, and that she was brought here for a reason. Kelley would bring it up later, but the guilt really was dissolving. Kelley had been drifting from her family again. She didn’t want her to drift too far, especially since Dan didn’t have the energy he used to have to chase her down and call her out on her shit.

The move had been rough, on the both of them. But being able to turn over in her own bed and look at the one and only Kelley O’Hara, well that had made it worth it for Hope. She had wondered if the stress of the move from a year ago was just now starting to hit Kelley. A delayed sort of reaction.

She got the oven heated and put the pan in, feeling really happy that the smell would make Kelley happy. Hope walked back to their bedroom, and found the fourth load of laundry that her and her wife would desperately need to take care of. She spotted Kelley folding the pile of towels right next to the washer.

“We’re gross. We need to do laundry more often.” Hope said with a chuckle when she lifted up the basket she had in her hand.

“Just put it right there, I’ll put it in when it’s done.” Kelley said as she pointed at the spot on the floor next to her.

“Okay.” Hope kissed her on the top of her head. “Are you and Erin okay?”

“Yeah.” Kelley whispered before she turned to give her wife another kiss. “Thanks for bringing her out here.”

“I’ll do anything for you.” Hope offered before she gave her wife another kiss. Kelley smiled softly.

“Make sure we get the trash out.” Kelley said suddenly.

Hope knew that it was Kelley’s way of telling Hope, _it’s your turn to take out the trash._

So she did just that. As she took the horrific smelling trash bag out onto the huge bins they would eventually role outside for the city to collect, she felt herself finally able to breath. She had made the right decision. Erin looked hopeful, and for the first time in a long time, Kelley seemed happy.

Hope heard the front door shut behind her, and immediately heard the loud and obnoxious beep of the timer she had set to check on the lemon bars in the oven.

They weren’t even close to looking ready. She waited around for the second 10 additional minutes to bake it to golden perfection. These were Kelley’s new favorites, and this would be worth it to see Kelley enjoy it.

The pan was white flame hot, and Hope was pretty sure that she should have grabbed her goalie gloves to put on to grab this dish. The kitchen mittens were not as thick as the red and white gloves that were usually laying around here somewhere. She thought she might have third degree burns, but there was nothing on her skin. She was just being a baby.

It was extremely annoying having to go through all of the drawers to find the utensil that would be able to section these bars off nicely, especially since once she had found it, she found out the hard way that you should not cut up lemon bars while it was still hot.

“Kell, the lemon bars are done, but I gotta wait awhile to cut it!” Hope called out. She covered the pan.

Then she frowned.

“Kell, do you want me to put it in the fridge so that it cools quicker?” She called out.

No answer.

She called out her wife’s name again.

Still, no answer. She put the cutter down. She walked down the hallway. The sound of the dryer had stopped, so it was weirdly silent. Hope walked into their bedroom. No sign of her wife. She walked into their bathroom. No sign of her wife. Everything felt still and quiet.

Hope opened the door that led to the laundry room. She could see that fourth load of laundry had been put into the washer because the basket wasn’t their anymore.

And then she spotted Kelley.

Her wife was sitting on the floor with her back up against the wall, and her palms over her eyes.

This was different. It was strange. Usually when they were fighting and Kelley had been sad, she had gone for a run or had stepped out of the house to talk to her mom the phone for hours. This, well she hadn’t seen this since the months after the world cup.

Hope put her hands on the side of Kelley’s legs that were holding her arms.

“Are you okay?” Hope whispered.

At the sound of her voice, Kelley started sobbing. Uncontrollably. Even with the way her body wracked with the hidden grief that she had been carrying, she didn’t let her hands leave her eyes, even from Hope’s gentle pulls on her forearms.

The keeper just wanted to know what was wrong. Kelley didn’t want to uncover her eyes that were practically pools of tears, but it felt wrong not to just hold the woman she loved. She sat down next to her wife and pulled Kelley’s tiny body into her side, and let Kelley break down.

This was the first time that she had seen Kelley cry in awhile. Their recent days had been filled with angry rants, deadened expressions, and exasperated sighs. But this was the first time Kelley had actually cried.

Hope didn’t want to ask what was wrong, because it was clear that Kelley didn’t know the answer to that question. She pulled her in closer.

 

~~

 

The sobbing slowed down, but it wasn’t until Hope had picked up Kelley’s body and let Kelley cling to her neck before she gently laid her down on their bed.

Finally, Kelley’s hand left her eyes and they held onto Hope’s face so that she wouldn’t be able to move any further from her.

“I’m here.” Hope said gently.

Kelley nodded as the sobbing stopped, and the silent tears started to fall into her ears as she laid there.

“I love you.” Hope whispered.

There was a frog in her wife’s throat, and she couldn’t really speak. Kelley just put her hand on her heart and then on Hope’s to tell her how she felt too. The message was unspoken, but it was clear.

This sadness, this devastation, this palpable anguish felt too real and too strong. Hope didn’t think that she could ever disrespect the magnitude and severity of this dismal state her wife had found herself by filling in her wordless cries with Hope asking what was wrong.

“I feel…” Kelley rubbed her chest, “Profound sadness.”

Hope nodded. She understood. This was going to need more than just a visit from her sister to heal. This was going to need more than the love she could give her as a wife.

“I need help.” Kelley painfully admitted. It was the first time she had ever heard Kelley utter those words.

Hope met her eyes and wiped the tears that were perpetually pooling the hazel irises of the wife. She kissed her nose and then her lips.

“Let’s get help, then.” The keeper said softly.

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> -Wretched


End file.
